Spokane County seeks building-code vesting to speed wildfire rebuilds

Spokane County Planning Director Scott Chazy told commissioners Aug. 17 that the county should follow the model used after the 2023 fires to let homeowners reconstruct substantially in the same place without immediately triggering shoreline or critical-area rules. "We're proposing to simply replicate the path we took in the 23 fires," Chazy said, describing a process that would let owners rebuild if they remain on the same footprint and would allow modest expansions of about 15–20 percent so long as those additions are sited away from hazards.

Chazy said substantial rebuilds — generally 50 percent or more of a building — would still trigger current rules. He described two routes: (1) pursue local shoreline‑program amendments so the county can vest applications under existing local authority, and (2) if the state Department of Ecology objects, seek a gubernatorial waiver to preserve local flexibility.

Why it matters: Chazy said permitting hurdles that accompany a new code cycle create a bottleneck for rebuilding — he cited past experience in which about 40 percent of applications missed vesting deadlines after earlier fires. To reduce that risk, he recommended extending vesting to two years from the code-adoption date and allowing builders the option to use the 2015 energy code, which he described as less administratively burdensome.

Support and next steps: Commissioners expressed support for moving the recommendations forward. Josh Karns said the outreach plan — a September meeting with cities and homebuilders — should help more residents meet submission deadlines. Chazy said he will coordinate locally and can take the analysis to the state building-code council and the governor's office as needed. No formal action or vote was taken at the meeting.

Context and constraints: Chazy noted these are mostly local policy adjustments but that Department of Ecology review or state action could affect how broadly the county can apply the approach. He also warned that newer state energy-code requirements, if adopted without relief, would raise construction costs and complicate rapid rebuilds.